Device for optimizing signal channelling in communication systems

ABSTRACT

In order to be able to supply information signals to a number of internal system devices via light waveguides in contemporary communication systems, optical power dividers are employed. These are designed such that an optical fiber brought in at the input side is divided onto a plurality of optical fibers. In order to achieve an ordering given the plurality of light waveguides, the divided optical fibers are combined to form groups such that each group comprises a same structure as the fibers arranged at the input side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an apparatus for optimized signal feed incommunication systems.

There is the problem in contemporary communication systems of feedingthe information signals to be processed to a plurality of internalsystem devices. This is especially true of the switching networkassemblies of an ATM communication system that are arranged in closespatial proximity.

Since transmission rates of 3.3 Gbit/s can no longer be efficientlyconducted via electrical lines, the feed of the information signals isrealized via light waveguides. The latter are usually designed asoptical (glass) fibers.

Optical power dividers are employed in the prior art in order to be ableto efficiently feed the information signals to the plurality of internalsystem devices. These are designed such that one optical fiber isbrought to the input side. A plurality of optical fibers leave the powerdivider at the output side. The information signals are thus supplied tothe power divider via the fiber of the input side and are dividedtherein into a plurality of identically designed information signals.Each of the information signals divided in this way leaves the opticalpower divider via the fibers of the output side and is supplied to thefollowing devices that come into consideration. An information signalcan thus be simultaneously supplied to a plurality of devices.

For example, 1×4 branchers are employed as optical power dividers in theprior art. This means that the optical power divider comprises oneoptical fiber arranged at the input side and a total of four opticalfibers arranged at the output side. Further, 1×2, 1×8 or 1×16 branchersare employed in the prior art.

The use of these optical branchers harbors the problem that theuser-friendliness is lost due to the plurality of internal systemdevices in a tight space. Particularly when expanding the communicationsystem with further assemblies, there is then the risk that opticalfibers will be mixed up and incorrectly connected.

European Patent Application EP 0 350 900 A2 discloses a method forfabricating optical branchers. However, how the guidance of opticalfibers should occur in a communication system is not addressed anywheretherein.

United States Letters Patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,057 likewise disclosesa method and an apparatus for the fabrication of optical branchers.However, how the guidance of optical fibers should occur in acommunication system is also not addressed anywhere therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to disclose an apparatus with which theguidance of optical fibers in a communication system can be implementedin a practical way.

According to the invention, an apparatus is provided for optimizedsignal feed in communication systems. A plurality of optical powerdividers are provided to which optical fibers comprising a predeterminedstructure are supplied at an input side. The structure is established bythe nature of the arrangement of the optical fibers relative to oneanother. The plurality of optical power dividers respectively divideeach of the optical fibers into a plurality of M optical fibers where Mis greater than 2. The divided optical fibers are combined into groupsat the output side such that each group comprises a respective samestructure as the fibers arranged at the input side.

What is especially advantageous in the invention is that the opticalfibers are combined into groups at the output of the power divider, andthat each group comprises the respectively same structure as the fibersbrought in at the input side. A sorting of the fibers is thus achieved.The sorting result is thus handed over to the following devices.

The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of anexemplary embodiment shown in the the drawing FIGURE.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing FIGURE shows a branch or cassette having a plurality ofoptical power dividers arranged according to the present invention.

In accordance therewith, the overall set of optical power dividersrequired in the communication system is divided into set units, wherebythese set units are accommodated in a brancher cassette V. The branchercassette V is shown in the drawing FIGURE.

Eight optical power dividers L are arranged in the brancher cassette V.According to the present exemplary embodiment, eight optical fibers F1 .. . F8 are to be conducted to the optical power dividers L. The feedshould preferably occur individually, even though the combining of theoptical fibers in a fiber ribbon is likewise possible. The individualoptical fibers are brought in from the individual internal devices ofthe communication system. Due to the type of connection of the opticalfibers F1 . . . F8, the way in which the optical fibers of the inputside are spatially supplied to the power dividers is then determinedhere. According to the present exemplary embodiment, this should occursuch for the purpose of a structure that the fiber F2 is arranged nextto the fiber F1, etc. A specific spatial structure, is thus thenestablished.

Each of the optical fibers F1 . . . F8 is divided into 4 further opticalfibers in the power dividers L. This means that, for example, the fiberF1 is divided into for further optical fibers F1. The same is true forthe optical fibers F2 . . . F8. Overall, thus, 4×8=32 optical fibersleave the power dividers L and the brancher housing V at the outputside.

According to the invention, the optical fibers are then classified intogroups at the output side. This ensues such that a first group FB1 isformed with optical fibers F1 . . . F8 that receive information signalsfrom the optical fibers F1 . . . F8 arranged at the input side. The sameis true of the further groups FB2, FB3, FB4. A sorting is thus achieved.The optical fiber F3 of the group FB1 is thus arranged next to theoptical fibers F2, F4 at the output side in the same way that alreadyoccurred at the input side. At the output side, the fiber F3 thereforealso carries the same information as the fiber F3 at the input. Theoptical fibers of the other groups are sorted in the same way. Thenumber of power dividers L in the brancher housing V is thus defined bythe number of groups.

Advantageously, the optical fibers arranged at the output side arecombined in the form of fiber ribbons. In the same way, the fibersbrought in at the input side can be combined to form a fiber ribbon.Practical considerations, however, favor the introduction of individualfibers.

Although various minor changes and modifications might be proposed bythose skilled in the art, it will be understood that my wish is toinclude within the claims of the patent warranted hereon all suchchanges and modifications as reasonably come within my contribution tothe art.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for optimized signal feed incommunication systems, comprising: an input side having a plurality ofoptical fibers comprising a predetermined structure, said structurebeing established by a nature of an arrangement of said optical fibersrelative to one another; a plurality of optical power dividers to whichsaid plurality of optical fibers are fed at an input side; each one ofthe plurality of optical power dividers respectively dividing each ofthe optical fibers into a plurality of M optical fibers where M isgreater than 2; and the divided optical fibers are combined into groupsat an output side of the power dividers such that each group comprises arespective same predetermined structure as the optical fibers arrangedat the input side.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein thegroups are designed in the form of a fiber ribbon comprising theplurality of optical fibers.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1wherein the plurality of optical fibers conducted to the optical powerdividers at the input side are brought in as individual fibers.
 4. Theapparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of optical fibersconducted to the optical power divider at the input side are brought inas a fiber ribbon.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein theoptical power dividers, the optical fibers, as well as at least onefiber ribbon are integrated in a brancher cassette.
 6. The apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said predetermined structure comprises apositioning of the optical fibers in a predetermined sequence in a rownext to each other and wherein said same sequence is maintained in eachof said groups.
 7. An apparatus for optimized signal feed incommunication systems, comprising: an input side having a plurality ofoptical fibers arranged in a row in a predetermined order; a pluralityof optical power dividers to which said plurality of optical fibers arefed at an input side; each one of the plurality of optical powerdividers respectively dividing each of the optical fibers into aplurality of M optical fibers where M is greater than 2; and the dividedoptical fibers are combined into groups at an output side of the powerdividers such that each group comprises a respective row of the samepredetermined order as the optical fibers arranged at the input side.